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4 Mechanisms of Evolution > 22 Descent with Modification > Flashcards

22 Descent with Modification Flashcards

1
Q

How can evolution be described?

A

“Descent with modification”- Darwin

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2
Q

What is “descent by modification” also known as?

A

Evolution

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3
Q

Who said “descent with modification”?

A

Darwin

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4
Q

What does ‘scala naturae’ refer to?

A

Aristotle’s idea that life-forms could be arranged on a ladder, or scale, of increasing complexity, later called the scala naturae.

Each form of life, perfect and permanent, had its allotted rung on this ladder.

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5
Q

Who developed the binomial system?

A

Carolus Linnaeus

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6
Q

What are layers of rock called?

A

Strata

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7
Q

What are ‘strata’?

A

Layers of rock

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8
Q

What are the basic ideas that explain differently how geology change? (not creationism)

A

Catastrophism and uniformitarianism

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9
Q

What is catastrophism?

A

A principle that events in the past occurred suddenly and were caused by mechanisms different from those operating in the present. This leads to sudden changes in landscapes i.e. mountains suddenly appear. (its wrong)

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10
Q

What is uniformitarianism?

A

A principle that landscapes change gradually over time i.e. erosion leads to the gradual formation of valleys.

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11
Q

What was Lamarck’s theory of evolution?

A

The idea that features evolve due to ‘use or disuse’ which can then be inherited.

For example he said that the higher a giraffe reaches, the longer its neck will be. This will then be passed onto its kids.

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12
Q

What is the definition for adaptions?

A

Inherited characteristics of organism that enhance their survival and reproduction in specific environments

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13
Q

Who almost bet Darwin to publishing the idea of natural selection?

A

Charles Lyell

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14
Q

What are the thee basic diets of Galapagos Finches?

A

Cacti, Insects and Seed eaters

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15
Q

What is the structure of the beak of Galapagos finches that eat cacti?

A

Long and sharp to tear and eat cactus flowers and pulp

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16
Q

What is the structure of the beak of Galapagos finches that eat insects?

A

Narrow and pointed to grasp insects

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17
Q

What is the structure of the beak of Galapagos finches that eat seeds?

A

Large to crack the seeds

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18
Q

What is it called when humans breed animals to get a desired trait?

A

‘Selective breeding’ or more generally ‘artificial selection’

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19
Q

What is artificial selection?

A

Selecting and breeding individuals that possess desired traits so that the prevalence of that trait increases

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20
Q

What are the observations and inferences Darwin made when arguing that natural selection occurs?

A

Observation #1: Members of a population often vary in their inherited traits.
Observation #2: All species can produce more offspring than their environment can support, and many of these offspring fail to survive and reproduce.

Inference #1: Individuals whose inherited traits give them a higher probability of surviving and reproducing in a given environment tend to leave more offspring than other individuals.
Inference #2: This unequal ability of individuals to survive and reproduce will lead to the accumulation of favorable traits in the population over generations.

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21
Q

Why is “overproduction” important to evolution?

A

If more species are produced than an environment can sustain this leads to more intense pressure and thus selection for favourable traits.

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22
Q

What are the basic ideas of natural selection?

A
  • Natural selection is a process in which individuals that have certain heritable traits survive and reproduce at a higher rate than other individuals because of those traits.
  • Over time, natural selection can increase the match between organisms and their environment .
  • If an environment changes, or if individuals move to a new environment, natural selection may result in adaptation to these new conditions, sometimes giving rise to new species.
23
Q

What is the problem with the statement “individuals evolve to suit their environment”?

A

It is actually populations and species that evolve, not individuals

24
Q

What are some key points to be careful of when describing natural selection?

A
  • It is populations and species, not individuals that evolve.
  • Natural selection does not lead to new characteristics, is simply increases or decreases the frequency of ones already present.
25
Q

What is a notable form of drug resistant bacteria?

A

MRSA

26
Q

What does MRSA stand for?

A

Methicillin-resistant S. aureus

27
Q

What does S aureus stand for?

A

Staphylococcus aureus

28
Q

What antibiotic are MRSA bacteria resistant to?

A

First they become resistant to penicillin, then they evolved resistance to methicillin.

29
Q

What is a common way bacteria become resistant to penicillin?

A

They release the enzyme ‘penicilinase’ which breaks down the penicillin.

30
Q

Why is bacterial resistance to antibiotics particularly common? (not natural selection)

A

Because of horizontal gene transfer in which genetic material is exchanged between species.

31
Q

What are the basic forms of evidence for natural selection?

A

Homology, Fossil Record and Biogeography.

32
Q

What is homology?

A

Similarity between organisms due to a common ancestry

33
Q

What is similarity between organisms due to common ancestry called?

A

Homology

34
Q

What can homology be compared with?

A

Analogy

35
Q

What is analogy?

A

When two features are similar but this is not due to common ancestry.

36
Q

What is it called when two organisms are similar but this is not due to a common ancestry?

A

Analogy

37
Q

How is homology evidence for natural selection?

A

It shows that natural selection is a gradual process in which features change to adapt to various environments

38
Q

How is analogy evidence of natural election?

A

The fact that disparate organisms evolve into similar forms shows that it selects for the most efficient traits.

39
Q

What is an example of homology?

A

The limbs of mammals: all have humerus-radius-ulna-carpals-metacarpals-phalanges.

Even in bats and dolphins

40
Q

What is an example of analogy?

A

Birds and fish both have a fusiform shape to glide through air/water

41
Q

What are vestigial structures?

A

Those that have no function and thus are “left-over from evolution”

42
Q

What are structures that have no function called?

A

Vestigial

43
Q

What are vestigial structures an example of?

A

Homology as they are based on ancestry.

44
Q

What is an ‘evolutionary tree’?

A

A diagram that shows the relationship of organisms based on when homologous traits appear.

(remember the tree with backbone then jaw etc.)

45
Q

What are tetrapods?

A

A group of animals including amphibians, mammal, reptiles and birds that have LIMBS WITH DIGITS

46
Q

What are organisms that have limbs with digits called?

A

Tetrapods.

47
Q

What is it called when non related organisms resemble each other? (not analogy)

A

Convergent evolution

48
Q

What is convergent evolution?

A

When distantly related organisms resemble each other.

49
Q

What is biogeography?

A

The geographic distribution of species

50
Q

What is the geographic distribution of species called?

A

Biogeography

51
Q

What was the “supercontinent” with all the landmasses called?

A

Pangea

52
Q

What is ‘Pangea’?

A

The “supercontinent” which once contained all of earth’s landmasses.

53
Q

What are endemic species?

A

Those found in only one area

54
Q

What are species that are found in only one area called?

A

Endemic

4 Mechanisms of Evolution (4 decks)

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